Dial connection and cutting attachment for knitting-machines.



G. L. BALLARD.

DIAL CONNECTION AND CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION IILIID APR.26,1911.

1,007,629, Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE LAWSON BALLARD, OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WILDMANMFG. ('30., OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

' Application filed April 25, 1911. Serial No. 623,257.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE L. BALLARD,subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of Norristown,Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DialConnections and Cutting Attachments for Knitting-Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to circular knitting machines having a dial and acylinder, and it concerns particularly the combination with said partsof means for cutting the fabric as it passes from the needles, the saidcutting means being located at the point where the cylinder and dial areconnected together to be'held in fixed relation to each other, so thatthe fabric, as severed by the cutting means, passes down in its dividedstate a portion on each side of the said connecting means between saidcylinder and dial.

The invention consists in the features and combination and arrangementof parts hereinafter described and particularly set forth in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a sectional view of a cylinderand dial with the invention associated therewith; Fig. 2 is a bottomplan View of Fig. 1.

In these drawings, 1 is the needle cylinder, 2 the dial, and 3 thecenter post. The dial and cylinder are held in fixed relation to eachother by arms 4 extending substantially radially outward from a sleeveor collar 5 which surrounds the sleeve or hub 6 of the dial, the saidcollar 5 being fixed to the dial by screws, one of which is indicated inFig. 1 at 7 in dotted lines, passing through the dial plate into lugs onthe collar 5. These outwardly extending arms fit at their outer endswithin notches 8 of a ring 9 secured to the needle cylinder, andtherefore the cylinder and dial will be held in fixed relation to eachother. These outwardly extending arms also form supports for cuttingdevices, and each of these cutting devices includes a fixed blade 10clamped within the arm 4 by a screw or bolt 11. Each of these fixedcutting blades 10 has associated therewith a movable cutter 12 in theform of a disk mounted upon a lever 13 pivoted to the arm 4 at 14, saidlever having an upwardly extending arm, and a lower yoke portion at 15which embraces the lower edge of the arm 4:, so that its arms come up oneach side thereof to be engaged by the pivot pin. Each lever 13 has anarm 16 extending inwardly therefrom and one to each side of the hub ofthe dial, and each arm has a roller bearing upon the incline 17 of thecam disk 18 which is fixed to the lower end of the post 3. Springs 19keep the levers 13 retracted and also keep the rollers in contact withthe cam 17. The post 3 is connected in the usual manner to the uppercross yoke of the knitting head, and rotates therewith and with the camrings.- It will therefore be understood that as this post rotates withthe cam 18, the levers 13 carrying the cutting disks 12 are given anoscillating movement, so that as the tubular fabric passes down from theneedles, it will be cut by the action of the cutting disks 12 incooperation with the fixed cutters 10, and the fabric will thus bedivided at substantially diametrically opposite points, and the dividedportions will pass down on each side of the arms 4, and the fabric thuscut will be used, as well known in the art, for various purposes. WhileI have describedaconstruction which I consider the best for the purposeintended, it will be understood that I do not wish to limit myself tothe details shown and described. For instance, while I have shown twosets of cutting devices and two outwardlyextending arms for connectingthe cylinder and dial, one set of these devices may be employed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a circular knitting machine a needle cylinder, a dial, aconnection between the dial and the cylinder to hold the dial in fixedrelation to said cylinder, and means for dividing the fabric adjacentsaid connection to pass down on each side thereof, substantially asdescribed.

2. In combination in a circular knitting machine, a cylinder, a dial, anarm connect ing the cylinder and dial to hold them in fixed relation,and a cutter supported on said arm for severing the fabric to pass downon each side thereof, substantially as described.

3. In combination in a circular knitting machine, a cylinder, a dial, anarm connecting the cylinder and dial to hold them in fixedmelation, anda cutter supported on said arm for severing the fabric to pass down oneach side thereof, said cutter ineluding a fixed blade and a movableblade with means for operating the latter, substantially as described.

4. In combination in a circular knitting machine, a cylinder, a dial, anarm connecting the cylinder and dial to hold them in fixed relation, anda cutter supported on said arm for severing the fabric to pass down oneach side thereof, said cutter including a fixed blade and a movableblade With means for operating the latter, said means including a camand the rotary central post connected to said cam for operating thesame, substantially as described.

5. In combination in a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder, adial, connections between the dial and cylinder at diametricallyopposite sides thereof and a pair of cutting devices disposed at saiddiametrically opposite points Within the cylinder for severing thefabric at said two points as it passes down from the needles.

6. In combination a cylinder, a dial, a central rotary post, a sleevesurrounding the sleeve of the dial and having arms engaging thecylinder, a fixed cutter on each of said arms, an oscillating lever oneach of said arms, a cutting blade carried by each lever, and a camconnected to the rotary post for operating the levers, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

GEORGE LAlVSON BALLARD.

\Vitnesses FRANK B. WILDMAN, EDITH G. FRIcK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

